The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works

Overview

Course No. 7330

Experience the profound joy of landmark creations by Haydn, Beethoven, and others in this survey of orchestral works considered the greatest in Western history. Over these 32 richly detailed lectures, you will take a grand tour of symphonic pieces that define our musical culture. This course includes a foundation for understanding the orchestral medium and the power of music. You’ll encounter a range of forms, including symphonies, concertos, tone poems, and suites, exploring pivotal compositions and their historical contexts.

Video Lectures

• Game Plan and Preliminaries
  • Define great orchestral works and track the evolution of orchestras.
  • Duration: 48 min

2. Vivaldi-The Four Seasons
   • Delve into Vivaldi’s masterpiece and its depiction of humanity’s relationship with nature.
   • Duration: 47 min

• Bach-Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
  • Explore Bach’s musical innovations and the dynamics of the Brandenburg Concerto.
  • Duration: 45 min

4. Bach-Violin Concerto in E Major
   • Analyze Bach’s originality and complexity in the Violin Concerto.
   • Duration: 47 min

5. Haydn-Symphony No. 104
   • Learn about Haydn’s life and the elements of his masterful symphonic writing.
   • Duration: 48 min

6. Mozart-Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor
   • Examine Mozart’s inventive approach to the piano concerto.
   • Duration: 47 min

7. Mozart-Symphony in C Major, “Jupiter”
   • Analyze the structure and themes of Mozart’s final symphony.
   • Duration: 43 min

8. Beethoven-Symphony No. 3
   • Reflect on the personal events influencing Beethoven’s Eroica symphony.
   • Duration: 48 min

9. Beethoven-Piano Concerto No. 4
   • Discover Beethoven’s innovations in the Fourth Piano Concerto.
   • Duration: 46 min

10. Beethoven-Symphony No. 9
    • Learn about Beethoven’s transformative approach in his Ninth Symphony.
    • Duration: 49 min

• Schubert-Symphony No. 9
  • Explore thematic melodies and the emotional depth of Schubert’s work.
  • Duration: 44 min

12. Mendelssohn- “Italian” Symphony
    • Track the creative struggle behind Mendelssohn’s vibrant symphonic voice.
    • Duration: 45 min

13. Schumann-Symphony No. 3
    • Investigate Schumann’s musical impression of the Rhineland.
    • Duration: 45 min

14. Brahms-Symphony No. 4
    • Discover Brahms’s thematic innovations in his celebrated Fourth Symphony.
    • Duration: 48 min

15. Brahms-Violin Concerto
    • Study the relationship between Brahms and the violinist Joseph Joachim.
    • Duration: 45 min

16. Tchaikovsky-Symphony No. 4
    • Explore Tchaikovsky’s personal struggles reflected in his Fourth Symphony.
    • Duration: 48 min

17. Tchaikovsky-Violin Concerto
    • Analyze Tchaikovsky’s innovative approach in his Violin Concerto.
    • Duration: 45 min

18. Bedrich Smetana-Ma Vlast
    • Experience Smetana’s musical expression of Czech nationalism and landscape.
    • Duration: 47 min

• Dvorak-Symphony No. 8
  • Understand Dvorak’s blend of Classical forms with folk influences.
  • Duration: 46 min

20. Dvorak-Concerto for ‘Cello
    • Investigate the emotional landscape of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto.
    • Duration: 47 min

• Rimsky-Korsakov-Scheherazade
  • Explore the storytelling and thematic elements of Scheherazade.
  • Duration: 47 min

22. Richard Strauss-Thus Spoke Zarathustra
    • Delve into Strauss’s interpretation of Nietzsche’s philosophical work.
    • Duration: 48 min

• Mahler-Symphony No. 5
  • Examine Mahler’s philosophical themes within the Fifth Symphony.
  • Duration: 48 min

24. Rachmaninoff-Symphony No. 2
    • Study Rachmaninoff’s melodic art and thematic development.
    • Duration: 46 min

• Debussy-La Mer
  • Analyze Debussy’s groundbreaking sound palette and expressive landscape.
  • Duration: 45 min

• Stravinsky-The Rite of Spring
  • Examine Stravinsky’s revolutionary orchestral work and its cultural impact.
  • Duration: 46 min

27. Saint-Saens-Symphony No. 3
    • Reflect on the contrasting elements within Saint-Saëns’s Symphony.
    • Duration: 49 min

28. Holst-The Planets
    • Discover the character and thematic foundations of Holst’s suite.
    • Duration: 50 min

• Copland-Appalachian Spring
  • Explore Copland’s unique American voice in Appalachian Spring.
  • Duration: 46 min

• Shostakovich-Symphony No. 5
  • Investigate the political context and artistic triumph of Shostakovich’s Fifth.
  • Duration: 44 min

31. Shostakovich-Symphony No. 10
    • Trace Shostakovich’s confrontation with Soviet oppression in Symphony No. 10.
    • Duration: 46 min

32. The Ones That Got Away
    • Reflect on overlooked masterpieces and their significance in orchestral literature.
    • Duration: 50 min